Whats up guys i've been gone for awhile but looking in getting back into tennis. I'm using the dunlop 500 bio now but looking for a set dtring been looking up an came across Golden Set and they have a combo going on for $88.12 for two reels Snake-Bite(Co-polyester mono-filament with a twisted heptagonal cross-section) + Classic Reel(Co-polymer core, multi-filament wrap (solid core, nylon based) has anyone heard about these or tried them? the price is what got me interested. Thanks for any input

Click to expand...

Hey man, welcome back. There is a guy who strings at the shop down on I-drive who likes the Golden Set Velvet. I don't know if he has tried their polys though. I won't buy a reel without trying a set first, but that is just me.

Hey man, welcome back. There is a guy who strings at the shop down on I-drive who likes the Golden Set Velvet. I don't know if he has tried their polys though. I won't buy a reel without trying a set first, but that is just me.

Click to expand...

you and me both...unless they're giving it away and then why would they do that?

I live in the Sanford/Orlando area and looking to find others that play. Im 24 years old, 4.5-5.0 solid player. Where can I go to find higher quality players to hit singles or doubles? Any pickup games around the area? Seems like you know the best areas to play and meet quality players. Thanks

I live in the Sanford/Orlando area and looking to find others that play. Im 24 years old, 4.5-5.0 solid player. Where can I go to find higher quality players to hit singles or doubles? Any pickup games around the area? Seems like you know the best areas to play and meet quality players. Thanks

Click to expand...

Easy answer is Orlando Tennis Center downtown. You can sometimes find pickup matches on the weekend mornings there and during weekday lunches.

Thanks for the reminder. Bad Call, I'll be at OTC both mornings this weekend. Tomorrow I have to leave by 10 AM but hopefully I can stay until 11 AM or so on Sunday depending if Jeff has some dubs I can plug into. I'll also be down there Tuesday and Wednesday at 5 PM.

Where exactly was this facility? I thought I remember there being one in Sanford at some point in time too.

Click to expand...

It was a private tennis/racquetball/swim/fitness club off of Lee Rd west of I-4. They hosted the US national 14's (? IIRC) girl's clay court tourney for a while, had 12 or so outdoor Har-Tru courts and 2 indoor HC's. Then, a wealthy racquetball afficionado bought the club and the whole slant of membership went in that direction. They built a few extra RB courts and expanded their fitness gym by using the indoor tennis space, scrimped on the Har-Tru maintenance and voilà, everybody bailed on their tennis memberships.

There were many other factors that helped feed the exodus (limited parking, declining neighborhood) but the place stayed active until at least 2005. Marcelo Gouts (Lake Cane tennis director) tried to ramp it back up but I think the land got too valuable as a commercial building zone so the owner sold and it was to be razed and converted to office space the last I heard of it.

It was a private tennis/racquetball/swim/fitness club off of Lee Rd west of I-4. They hosted the US national 14's (? IIRC) girl's clay court tourney for a while, had 12 or so outdoor Har-Tru courts and 2 indoor HC's. Then, a wealthy racquetball afficionado bought the club and the whole slant of membership went in that direction. They built a few extra RB courts and expanded their fitness gym by using the indoor tennis space, scrimped on the Har-Tru maintenance and voilà, everybody bailed on their tennis memberships.

There were many other factors that helped feed the exodus (limited parking, declining neighborhood) but the place stayed active until at least 2005. Marcelo Gouts (Lake Cane tennis director) tried to ramp it back up but I think the land got too valuable as a commercial building zone so the owner sold and it was to be razed and converted to office space the last I heard of it.

Click to expand...

I played there twice the last decade. The first time, the Har-Tru courts were incredible. About 2 years after that, they were downright dangerous.

I remember playing on those indoor courts a couple of times. Mikeler is right about the clay: for awhile it was very good, but then the maintenance went south (one of the first things to tell you revenues are down), and there were lines sticking up too high, bald spots and other dangers. They had 2 outdoor hard courts there, too, and I was always hoping to get one when our team played there.
Too bad what happened, because it was a cool club. I remember the Girl's 14s (may have been 12s), Tom, and I saw Stephanie Rehe win there about 30 years ago. she was at least 6 inches taller than all the other girls then!

I remember playing on those indoor courts a couple of times. Mikeler is right about the clay: for awhile it was very good, but then the maintenance went south (one of the first things to tell you revenues are down), and there were lines sticking up too high, bald spots and other dangers. They had 2 outdoor hard courts there, too, and I was always hoping to get one when our team played there.
Too bad what happened, because it was a cool club. I remember the Girl's 14s (may have been 12s), Tom, and I saw Stephanie Rehe win there about 30 years ago. she was at least 6 inches taller than all the other girls then!

Click to expand...

Those were the problems I remembered. Lines sticking up out of the ground and there is no way you could slide on the clay. You would sprain your ankle or knee if you tried. The nets were falling apart too.

Do you guys also remember a club at the east end of Lake Mary Blvd? I played there as a junior. They had maybe 8 or 10 clay courts, it was a nice facility but I guess somewhere along the line it vanished too.

The place Tom is referring too is now an indoor soccer facility. I have played soccer there a few times. I used to play tennis and racquet ball and worked out there as a kid. The place really went downhill pretty fast around 2007. They used to have an indoor hoops court when it was still doing well. I saw Shaq and Nick Anderson in there taking free throw lessons before.

Those were the problems I remembered. Lines sticking up out of the ground and there is no way you could slide on the clay. You would sprain your ankle or knee if you tried. The nets were falling apart too.

Do you guys also remember a club at the east end of Lake Mary Blvd? I played there as a junior. They had maybe 8 or 10 clay courts, it was a nice facility but I guess somewhere along the line it vanished too.

Click to expand...

That was Bayhead. I played there a bit back in the 80s, and it was a happening place. A guy took it over for a tennis academy and the courts went downhill fast. It's been sitting there empty for what seems like 20 years now; can't believe they didn't sell the land during the "bubble". I know the husband of the lady who was (is?) president of SCC; told him they should snatch it up, repair it and start a tennis program again. Never got anywhere with that one, believe it or not.

The place Tom is referring too is now an indoor soccer facility. I have played soccer there a few times. I used to play tennis and racquet ball and worked out there as a kid. The place really went downhill pretty fast around 2007. They used to have an indoor hoops court when it was still doing well. I saw Shaq and Nick Anderson in there taking free throw lessons before.

That was Bayhead. I played there a bit back in the 80s, and it was a happening place. A guy took it over for a tennis academy and the courts went downhill fast. It's been sitting there empty for what seems like 20 years now; can't believe they didn't sell the land during the "bubble". I know the husband of the lady who was (is?) president of SCC; told him they should snatch it up, repair it and start a tennis program again. Never got anywhere with that one, believe it or not.

Click to expand...

Too bad, they had some nice courts back in the day. Funny, yet true story. I went there with a buddy of mine to play a junior tournament. In between matches I was watching him play and this was his first time on clay. He fell and skinned his knee bad. As an adolescent "friend" I proceeded to laugh at him. My next match the same thing happened to me. He returned the favor!

That was Bayhead. I played there a bit back in the 80s, and it was a happening place. A guy took it over for a tennis academy and the courts went downhill fast. It's been sitting there empty for what seems like 20 years now; can't believe they didn't sell the land during the "bubble". I know the husband of the lady who was (is?) president of SCC; told him they should snatch it up, repair it and start a tennis program again. Never got anywhere with that one, believe it or not.

Click to expand...

Hey, Matt! How's your Dad? Rob Field texted me Friday and said he just met you. That and your posts reminded me to inquire.

Bayhead had a great junior camp...Amre S. ran it and had some stud juniors. It is very close to Seminole State...maybe they can get a couple of top Swedes like Pernfors and Tobias to relaunch a program.

We used to have a lot of clay clubs...OTRC, Maitland Field Club, Sabal Point (I worked there for Tony Fernandez in the late 80's). At least Azalea finally added their Har-Tru to overcome all that closed.

While we are bringing up now defunct tennis clubs, did anybody here ever play at Greenlefe when it was open? That was another fantastic place to play.

Click to expand...

Venus and Serena liked it when Rick Macci was coaching them @ Grenelefe. I played there in a couple of adult tourneys they ran but never got on the grass courts. That would have been fun!

I also saw a couple of matches when the WTA had a stop on their tour @ Grenelefe. Ditto for the WCT event @ Rosemont...that was before I lived here but I was visiting my parents while on vacation.

Did any of you see the exos hosted by Orange Lake in that monster stadium the Holiday Inn founder built on his property in Kissimmee? That was where Connors went bonkers on one of our longtime USTA officials, Jan Enos.

I did get to watch the Heathrow tournament and got to see Agassi and Mal Washington in person. That was pretty freaking awesome. I was a junior player with no internet to analyze the strokes like now, so trying to process what he did each time was a lot tougher back then.

Venus and Serena liked it when Rick Macci was coaching them @ Grenelefe. I played there in a couple of adult tourneys they ran but never got on the grass courts. That would have been fun!

I also saw a couple of matches when the WTA had a stop on their tour @ Grenelefe. Ditto for the WCT event @ Rosemont...that was before I lived here but I was visiting my parents while on vacation.

Did any of you see the exos hosted by Orange Lake in that monster stadium the Holiday Inn founder built on his property in Kissimmee? That was where Connors went bonkers on one of our longtime USTA officials, Jan Enos.

Click to expand...

I saw Capriati practicing at Grenelefe with Macci. She was pretty incredible at a young age as could be expected. I also saw Tommy Ho play there. He almost hit a kick serve over the fence! I saw Lendl and Wilander play an exo at Orange Lake when they were #1 and #2. I was right behind the court, it was incredible.

I did get to watch the Heathrow tournament and got to see Agassi and Mal Washington in person. That was pretty freaking awesome. I was a junior player with no internet to analyze the strokes like now, so trying to process what he did each time was a lot tougher back then.

Click to expand...

Before it was at Heathrow, they held the tournament at Grand Cypress. I saw Connors and Agassi there. I also saw Sampras at Heathrow.

I was at Orange Lake when Connors hit the ball at Jan Enos. Not sure if it was arranged or not.
The tournament at Grand Cypress was the first one I ever strung at (1987). Strung for Connors, Gilbert, Gomez, etc. Was a great experience.
Tom, my dad's making a great recovery. Playing golf again. Thanks for asking.

I was at Orange Lake when Connors hit the ball at Jan Enos. Not sure if it was arranged or not.
The tournament at Grand Cypress was the first one I ever strung at (1987). Strung for Connors, Gilbert, Gomez, etc. Was a great experience.
Tom, my dad's making a great recovery. Playing golf again. Thanks for asking.

Click to expand...

Good to hear the news about your Dad!

As to the Connors episode, Jan was known to harbor some deep resentment towards him even a couple of decades after it happened. It was Jimbo at his worst.

I was at Orange Lake when Connors hit the ball at Jan Enos. Not sure if it was arranged or not.
The tournament at Grand Cypress was the first one I ever strung at (1987). Strung for Connors, Gilbert, Gomez, etc. Was a great experience.
Tom, my dad's making a great recovery. Playing golf again. Thanks for asking.

I enjoyed watching Connors practice at Grand Cypress. He was putting on a show for us at the back of the fence saying "My Grandma can play better than this" and other funny lines.

Click to expand...

I moonlighted as a security guy at the USTA Center in '81 for the USA/Czechoslovakia DC tie and got to escort Jimbo to and from his practice court. He was quite engaging, even explaining to naive me why he doused his leather grip with water before the session ("Just to clean it, Tom, not to tacky it up"). The practice was unreal, so precise with his footwork. Best 1/2 hour of up close viewing I've had, with the exception of watching Vitas/Kriek live match in the quarters there a couple of years before that. That was a box seat freebie my girlfriend's roommate gave me...four sets of the two fastest guys on tour then!

I moonlighted as a security guy at the USTA Center in '81 for the USA/Czechoslovakia DC tie and got to escort Jimbo to and from his practice court. He was quite engaging, even explaining to naive me why he doused his leather grip with water before the session ("Just to clean it, Tom, not to tacky it up"). The practice was unreal, so precise with his footwork. Best 1/2 hour of up close viewing I've had, with the exception of watching Vitas/Kriek live match in the quarters there a couple of years before that. That was a box seat freebie my girlfriend's roommate gave me...four sets of the two fastest guys on tour then!

I played the Gator with Power Player on the court next to us. First off, I wanted to ask PP if he would show his 6 pack abs that he was telling us about in another thread, but I might have scared his partner off!

I think we were midway in the 2nd set when one of our balls rolled over onto PP's court. He asked "Are you playing with week old balls"? Gotta love those cheap Penn's the Gator brings.

I played the Gator with Power Player on the court next to us. First off, I wanted to ask PP if he would show his 6 pack abs that he was telling us about in another thread, but I might have scared his partner off!

I think we were midway in the 2nd set when one of our balls rolled over onto PP's court. He asked "Are you playing with week old balls"? Gotta love those cheap Penn's the Gator brings.

Click to expand...

dude I totally would have used any excuse possible to stop playing...including that one..lol.

It is nice to be dropping fat but it is hurting me out on the court right now. I am sure it will stabilize..but wow..lol. My feet felt like cement and my arms were noodles..crazy feeling.

My friend is starting to play pretty well..dtl backhands..aces into corners..it's getting really fun out there even on the bad days.